Foreman Set as Underdog Against Seagal

Two-time heavyweight champion George Foreman has heard just about enough from former action star Steven Seagal, and his vocal opposition to recent on-field protests by NFL players.

Following a recent interview on British television in which Seagal described player protests of the American national anthem as “an outrage”, Foreman took to Twitter to challenge Seagal to settle their differences with a 10-round no-holds-barred fight in Las Vegas.

Foreman remains one of boxing’s most beloved figures following an illustrious 28-year career that ended in 1997 with a stunning 76 wins, but he has opened as a long +200 underdog to come away with the victory in the event a clash with Seagal materializes.

Known for his devastating punching power in the ring, Foreman opened his pro career with 40 straight wins, including 25 knockouts, before suffering his first defeat in the legendary 1974 Rumble in the Jungle matchup with Muhammad Ali in Kinshasa, Zaire.

The 68-year-old would later become the oldest fighter to win a heavyweight title with his 1994 knockout victory over Michael Moorer.

Foreman would likely have his hands full in a battle with Seagal, who opens as a -300 favorite on the betting odds. Seagal has no experience as a professional prize fighter and has yet to respond publicly to Foreman’s challenge to a fight in which he “can use whatever”.

Seagal Brings a Black Belt to the Table

However, in the case of the 64-year-old former deputy sheriff, the “whatever” that he would bring into the ring includes a seventh dan black belt in Aikido, and extensive experience in providing training in unarmed combat and martial arts to law enforcement officers and members of the military.

Seagal has also built a solid reputation as the trainer for mixed martial artists Anderson Silva and Lyoto Machida, experience which would be crucial to success in his first-ever ring appearance.

Las Vegas is no stranger to combat sports mega-events. All eyes were on T-Mobile Arena on August 26 when reigning UFC lightweight champion Conor McGregor stepped into the squared circle against undefeated boxing legend Floyd Mayweather Jr.

While McGregor’s boxing debut would end with an eighth-round TKO loss as a +265 underdog, the fight proved to be a hit with fans around the world, who watched the fights in record numbers via pay-per-view, spawning renewed interest in the Sweet Science.